Support horror story.

2.5 weeks ago..

Called support let them know about an issue with my m17x that it was having intermittent usb connectivity issues. Problem was deemed to be motherboard. They dispatched a technician to replace the motherboard. The technician fried the the video cards during the motherboard replacement and the laptop had to be shipped into the depot for repair.

The depot held the laptop for 1.5 weeks and returned the laptop as follows...

..dead hard drive
..dead motherboard (no power at all)
..various screws in the caseing had their heads stripped out
..scratch/scuff marks all over the power supply and laptop.

Currently on hold with technical support for 15min

This is a $5000 laptop with extended warranty support, you'd think I'd get a little better service.

 

Lucky these cases are 1 and 500,000. Crappy part, it's happening to a NBR member.

Right now you're sitting in the power seat and they owe you - BIG TIME. See that they do.

 

yeah man, make sure you milk them for everything you can! get them to send you a new machine with whatever it is you can upgrade..

 

Escalate the case and you will be given a new laptop straight from the factory. That's the best part about Dell warranty, they stand behind their products.

 

I feel rage for you. That Is one sweet machine! Id be pissed to no end if that happened to that kinda machine!

 

Im sorry to say, but you should have never sent your laptop into the depot. Your warranty guarantees you a solution within 1 business day, subject to availability of spare parts. Next time, do not settle on sending in the machine. If they cannot diagnose the problem, they have to sent you a replacement unit.

 

Yes wattos is right, never send to a depot. I've been asked to depot mine but refused it and demanded a replacement. You paid for the better warranty so use it to its full extent.

 

I honestly did not know about the 1 day turn around and no depot thing... Will definately have to push even harder.


Just a small update on the situation..

They are over-nighting more parts to a technician and dispatching him tomorrow to "fix" my machine...

Will keep you all updated as to the outcome.

 

I never saw product horror stories like these to be bad things. In the end I've gotten a working computer out of it every time and always some extra bling or a real nice discount.

 

Yeah. You need to work to get something in return. In this case, a spiffy new laptop.

 

I heard more horror stories from people who have had to send their laptop into the Depot, but some have also reported incompetent techs sent to their homes as well.

But in the end Dell does seem to get it right, you just have to be VERY persistent.

 

Latest update..

The tech came out today with a box of new components.

He replaced:

Both Video Cards
Motherboard
Case
Ram
CPU
Hard Drives
......


All this, the system works now, but I still have the original issue of the usb devices randomly disconnecting. So at this point I'm thinking it has to be a fatal flaw in the system design or something.

Has anyone else had issues with USB peripherals randomly disconnecting??

USB devices used:

Razer Naga Mouse
Razer Lycosa keyboard
USB WoW headset

At any given moment one or all of them will randomly disconnect and reconnect. I have had all the usb peripherals RMAd and they all work on other systems, just not this one.

 

O

I can you tell this though. I have same experience with the USB. I have a mouse, external keyboard, Microsoft xbox 360 pc controller receiver, an external HD, and laptop cooler with USB inputs. From time to time, my external hd turns on and off, due to USB not providing enough power since I have a lot of USB items plugged in. I use all available input on the laptop, even the e-sata.

 

It's not power related, I have even tried inserting a powered usb hub in between my peripherals and my laptop.

 

Kingfetty, please post your service tag number.

 

From Dell/Alienware?

 

I can confirm LittleFisher is with Dell. LittleFisher, please do not post asking members to post their service tags. This is sensitive data of course and most users will not want to do this openly. Please see this thread which has info on how you can send Private messages on the notebookreview forums:

http://forum.notebookreview.com/sit...-send-private-messages-create-signatures.html

Welcome to the forum and we look forward to having you around!

 

Especially with a name like LittleFisher

Seriously, welcome to NBR!

 

KingFetty,

I have used Razer Mamba, Lycosa and a whole array of other things connected to m17x at the same time and they all worked perfectly. I dont think its a general system flaw.

 

Have you tried to reinstall windows?

 

I tried to private message you with my service tag info, but you have turned off private messaging in your profile.

 

I think he needs more posts(only has 2) before he can get a PM

 

Story update...

I got to thinking, this problem did not start immediately when I received the laptop. It started months later.

My laptop shipped from the manufacturer with A04 bios and I later updated the bios. The new motherboard that I had installed shipped with A06 bios.

For the sake of troubleshooting I started with the oldest R2 bios I could find, flashed it and tested for the issue, then upgraded to the next and repeated...

A02 ... issue dissappears
A04 ... shipped with this and problem did not exist
A05 ... issue occurs
A06 ... issue occurs
A07 ... issue occurs
A08 ... issue occurs
A09 ... issue occurs

So appearently there is something that changed in the bios post A04 that does not allow my usb keyboard/mouse/headset combination to work with my pocessor/video cards.

I'm not sure how, but I will try to get this escalated to the dell bios engineering team to figure out what's going on.

For now I will run on A02.

-Edit-
For anyone wanting A02 for the R2
http://ftp.us.dell.com/bios/M17xR2A02.zip

 

update....

24hrs now running on A02 bios with 0 issues.

 

I think my biggest question is how do you have so much money that you can buy a $5000 laptop? lol

 

Dude get this crap escalated and get a brand new one sent... Don't be shy I know I wouldn't if I paid my $5000 hard earned money.

 

Enterprise network engineering pays well

 

It has been escalated within Dell but not sure what I new laptop would bring. I've already proven the problem is in the bios. I have had 3 motherboards 4 video cards and everything down to the case itself replaced.

This system is already maxed, the only thing that could possibly be upgraded would be to change the 4870s to 5870s

 

Whats the difference between Network engineering and Enterprise Network engineering? Who do you work for?

 

More complex environments, higher pressure, bigger knowledge set.

 

what about other owners with that set up? I dont recall them having problems, but I dont sit too much in the M17x owners lounge. I would not settle for downgrading the bios, especially since you are missing out on the touchpad fix and possibility other fixes.

If it turns out to be a vid card issue, push tech support to upgrade your cards to 5870. Downgrading the bios is not a solution

 

So it turns out the bios did not fix the problem just slowed it down considerably.

Anything post bios A04 the problem happens every 10-15 min.

Anything A04 and down it happens every hour or 2.

I work from home as a contractor for a fortune 500 company and had to take a week off work while I sent my laptop into the depot for repair only to get it back broken.

This is rediculous, $5000+ laptop, I should have bought an Asus.

Please advise, I have no clue what my next steps should be, and I'm sick of talking to the moron "tech help desk" guys. As network engineer who's been working with computers for 20 years now I know more than the freaking guys on the phone. I've escalated to supervisors, managers, and even gave my info to some of the dell guys on this forum with no results.


HELP!!!!

 

Talk to a supervisor and request a replacement system. They attempted to fix the issue more than three times now, therefore you should be able to get a replacement system. Make sure to push for an upgrade for the downtime.

 

Contact Dell unresolved support.

Here

 

ok, submited that form, we'll see if I get anywhere with that.

 

So not true in India. Tech Support directly told me that, they wont Replace the system at any chance. I feel deteriorated. AlienWare Support in India, Sucks big time.

 

I was told the same thing, they told me that we are sorry bt we won't offer a replacement at any chance no matter what the problem is. Supervisor wasn't any help either he stuck by his employees side and acted even ruder than the tech guy. I told him that I was recording this phone call and he was yeah? Go ahead we're recording it aswell so we can cath all these lies you've been telling us.
Before new years 2011, I called on November and December and I was directed to a European call centre(Polish?) (I'm in the UK) and I met the nicest most helpful tech support ever, I was off the phone sighing 5mins with my parts being shipped and very kind and apologetic people after New Years I was direct to an Indian call centre, refused help and extremely rude (sigh)

 

If you want a new replacement system email the president of Dell at their email address, sure someone will PM you with it if you need since we are not allowed to post it. All those emails go to the Corp intervention dept. and will call or email you with in 24 hours. They will resolve the problem thats what they do.

 

I can vouch for this. I recently did this as well. I was having serious issues with a SXPS that I bought 18mos ago. I just received the machine in my sig as a replacement, brand new. My original config was about $1800 my replacement rig, was of similar value and specs. After emailing Micheal Dell, I was contacted in 24hrs.

 

Network engineer: small servers, small business offices etc. Up to medium size.

Enterprise: Major network backbones, inernational networks, zero downtime acceptance etc

 

It's fairly easy to get a system replacement. all you have to do is ask for a supervisor, and then ask their supervisor and you'll make your way to the escalations department where they will pretty much just say "okay, we'll replace your system." I've had 5 or 6 system replacements, starting with an Inspiron e1505. Good Luck

 

I think it all depends on your tech that comes out to fix it as well. My tech actually advised me to get a sys replace. He said he could go back and get another round of parts to try and fix it, but he'd rather see me save time by just getting a full replacement. So there is more weight there if the tech believes it as well.

 

This is true.

It's also possible, like in my case, to have the tech completely destroy the machine. Luckily, I'm getting a full refund so all is well but it hasn't help me get a laptop in hand for the last two months.

 

yeah JCrichton, that's the most annoying part... even if they do replace, you're looking at a 4-6 week gap that's definitely not compensated for.

Good thing I have 3-4 computers now.

 

The OP originally created this thread in October and has not recently posted. Given this, we have a thread in place for folks who are hitting a brick wall with support.

http://forum.notebookreview.com/ali...placement-systems-warranty-repair-issues.html
As a reminder, this thread is only for folks who have contacted support multiple times and are still not seeing resolution.